The Council of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) announced the appointment of former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, as its new Chancellor.

Her five-year term of office will run from October 1, 2022 until September 30, 2027. She will succeed Professor Njabulo Ndebele, whose second five-year term as Chancellor ends on September 30, 2022.

Mlambo-Ng Cuka was a member of the first South African democratically elected Parliament in 1994, first as Deputy Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1994 – 1996) and as Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999 – 2005). She later became the Deputy President of South Africa (2005 – 2008), the highest-ranking female political leader in the history of the country.

Throughout her illustrious political career, Mlambo-Ngcuka directed her energy towards issues of human rights, equality, and social justice, with a specific emphasis on gender and youth development.

Mlambo-Ngcuka was appointed as the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women in 2013. As the head of the UN entity that is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, she was a global advocate for women and girls.

 Details of her inauguration will be announced at a later stage. UJ Registrar, Professor Kinta Burger said: “UJ’s approach to impact reflects the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), something that Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka, in her capacity as UN Executive Director of UN Women, has cherished and led. Indeed, she embodies all the UJ values and aspirations, values, where equality, diversity and inclusivity have been part of the University’s success story.”

Speaking on Mlambo-Ngcuka’s appointment, UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala said as the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President in South Africa, Dr  Mlambo-Ngcuka provided political oversight to several programmes to combat poverty and bring advantages of a growing economy to the poor.

Marwala shares on the impact the appointment has….